The National Sheriff’s Association Center for Public Safety in partnership with the National Domestic Preparedness Coalition awarded Lexington County Sheriff’s Department Lt. William “Billy” Aiken certification as a Certified Homeland Protection Professional. Aiken is the first law enforcement officer in South Carolina to attain the certification, according to the National Domestic Preparedness Coalition.

Lexington County Sheriff A. Lewis McCarty said certification as a Certified Homeland Protection Professional shows that Aiken, 52, of Lexington, has the requisite knowledge, skills and abilities to help the Sheriff’s Department and other public safety agencies in Lexington County prevent, protect against, prepare for, respond to, mitigate and recover from all hazardous incidents.

Aiken serves as the assistant commander of the Sheriff’s Department North Region Patrol District, which is based near Irmo, McCarty said. Aiken also serves on the Sheriff’s Department Dive Team and Lexington County Swift Water Rescue Team. On November 26, 2001, Aiken was appointed to serve as a deputy.

Aiken attained certification as a Certified Homeland Protection Professional based on an assessment of Aiken’s education and experience and Aiken’s successful completion of homeland protection courses and Homeland Protection Professional test, McCarty said. Aiken can apply his training and certification when the Sheriff’s Department responds to critical incidents and natural disasters and when the agency helps provide security at large public events. Aiken also will be able to utilize his training in carrying out emergency response plans at public schools in Lexington County.

Certified Homeland Protection Professional coursework that Aiken successfully completed included instruction in threat, risk and vulnerability assessment, weapons of mass destruction, incident management, risk management and planning for and carrying out evacuations, McCarty said. Aiken, who is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, also is doing coursework to obtain a bachelor’s degree in emergency management from Columbia College.